How I do it: Selective femoral neurotomy.
Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 40131466.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1007/s00701-025-06466-y and PMC identifier 11937114.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Quadriceps spasticity is responsible for a gait disturbance characterized by stiff knee with reduced knee flexion during the swing phase. Selective Femoral Neurotomy induces long-term muscle relaxation via a decrease of the stretch reflex. Femoral nerve trunk is dissected just below the femoral crease. Motor branches to the rectus femoris and/or vastus intermedius muscles are identified using electrical stimulation combined with electromyographic recording, then partially sectioned according to an individualized preoperative chart. Postoperative rehabilitation is imperative for sustained gait improvements. Selective Femoral Neurotomy (SFN) is a lesion-based, permanent surgical treatment of spastic stiff knee gait.
Medical subject headings
- Femoral Nerve
- Muscle Spasticity
- Gait Disorders, Neurologic
- Nerve Transfer
- Quadriceps Muscle